2 weeks with toddler in Europe (Germany or Austria) HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

I suppose a good idea would be to try to maintain his regular routine as much as possible. While it's his nap time you could push him around in a pram- an hour or two in an art gallery or something quiet you can enjoy while he sleeps.

There are lots of parks and open spaces where you can let him run around and tire himself out.

The other thing to do is to read him German nursery rhymes and stories to get him excited about the trip- but on a little kid level. Brothers Grimm and Food can be helpful for this too. Make everything sound like an adventure and something he's looking forward to seeing.

There are Museums for kids, but a toddler might be too young to concentrate. The DDR Museum in Berlin is supposed to be fun for kids. And Kids museum in Leipzig.

From experience I think kids usually do better when they stay in the same place - different beds and different schedules can be particularly hard for most kids. And I'd recommend avoiding tantrums by keeping things as simple as possible.

Here’s another thread you might find helpful: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2030076

I like both Austria and Germany to travel with children, there is so much to do.

Your son is still small, you do not have to make a programm for him, just take him everywhere and try to do enough brakes in playgrounds.That should not be a big problem as you will find nice playgrounds almost anywhere in Germany and Austria. If you get your timing right Museums will be quite possible, and old palaces and castles are always a hit with my children. Zoos are good too.

My suggestion would be: decide on what city or cities you really want to see, best no more than 2 or three, then find a nice place to stay there and explore around. I do not like to change Hotels too much with children, as they like to get used to a place, a bed, a breakfast room.

I agree. With such a small child, go where you want to go and there will be child-friendly activities to do pretty much anywhere.

I vote for trains over renting a car. You can avoid the whole car seat deal (never rent a car seat from a car rental company-especially not in Europe). You child will have more freedom in a train and they go absolutely everywhere in both Austria and Germany where gas is expensive.

To top it off, better scenery. I have taken my kids on trains at that age and they loved it. One train in Germany, my almost 2 year old found some friends and played the whole time with them, except when they had to get off a few stops earlier. My son cried. The whole cabin looked at him with sad faces. That kind of "local contact" and experiences like that just don't happen when you rent a car!

Taking the train to me is experiencing local culture and seeing more of the country. You can't get lost. You can get something to eat at any time and your toddler can roam. No better way to travel at this age!

I agree with some of the other posts in maintaining there isn't much programming you have to do to plan your trip around an 18-mth infant/toddler. They are still at an age where there is lots of fun to be had without the fun being child centric. At that age, my son had the best time just taking a subway ride, street car, walk in the park, visit to a toy store.

In Vienna, there is lots to do for children -- especially the abundance of free music that surrounds the city, the tram system the encircles their zone 1 'ring' perimeter which could be fun and their Tiergarten zoo that is connected by subway. They also have a supermarket chain on what seems like every block of the city called "Billa" that will be a great source for your day-to-day travel goods (i.e. snacks, diapers, milk, etc...). I'm impartial to Austria because my husband and I had a wonderful road-trip there before we had our son. It is absolutely on our list of places to visit soon with him!

Good luck on your planning. Check out my site for infant & toddler travel tips that could be useful.

http://www.minitraveler.ca

Edited by: minitraveler_canada

Hello ,
I have a blog and I listed the places to go for children in Vienna and Munich.You can find some alternatives in the site below.

[http://www.cocuklageziyorum.com/munich-for-children/]

Have nice stay.

Behiyeisin.